Seasons Anew
by Zoop Top
Summary: Celebrating their last few days of summer vacation, Yuzu and Mei tie up some last loose ends before heading off to university together.
1. Chapter 1

Everything had to be perfect.

Everything needed to be perfect.

Mei flipped through Yuzu's old notebook for what seemed to be the tenth time. Nothing could go wrong, or should go wrong for that matter. As long as she was following every detail step by step, this date should go according to plan.

The funny thing about the situation was, that Yuzu didn't even know that notebook of her's _wasn't_ in the trash. Ironically, Mei was the one who suggested they get rid of it, seeing as how they didn't need some rulebook or set of guidelines to tell them how they should act as a couple. After all, they should do what they want. It was the very foundation of their relationship and how they were both able to brace themselves through the challenges of outside forces that may have been displeased with their partnership.

And yet, on a bench out in the open, with her hands fidgeting among the pages in the notebook, Mei held onto those "guidelines" for her dear life. Outside of Yuzu's knowledge, Mei secretly hid that notebook, often writing her own notes on how to give the blonde the best date possible. Yuzu did deserve it, after all.

Pages upon pages were filled with the utmost research on how to be the best girlfriend for Yuzu-even if it meant having to put herself a little out of her own comfort zone. At that point, ownership of that ridiculous "lovelove" notebook now belonged to Mei.

As she read through the next few pages, Mei felt a shoulder tap her from behind, causing her to shriek in surprise and drop the notebook.

"Sorry!" Yuzu apologized quickly, "I didn't mean to scare you."

"It's...okay," she uttered as she scrambled to place the book back in her purse. The only thing on Mei's mind was keeping that notebook out of the older girl's sight.

Before she could reach out to grab it, Yuzu picked it up in curiosity. Mei almost groaned in embarrassment.

"The Great LoveLove Operation…?" Yuzu processed as she read aloud the title. Her eyes widened as soon as she recognized, "oh my gosh! You still have this? The blonde burst out in a fit of laughter, causing Mei's cheeks to redden. Memories came flooding back to Yuzu as she absentmindedly skimmed through pages of old love advice. It was almost nostalgic.

"D-Don't laugh!" Mei scolded as she tried to get the notebook off Yuzu's hands.

The blonde's laughter died down and took in a deep breath to recollect herself. She gave the notebook back to Mei and apologized for causing such a scene. Mei was lucky. Had Yuzu started flipping through the pages of added content, the younger girl would've passed out from the embarrassment alone. It was an odd feeling.

Usually, Mei would remain as calm as possible even during times of crisis, whether those were internal or external. And while she still viewed herself to be a collected person during stressful situations, she wasn't exactly the same kind of person around Yuzu.

How long had it been? Two years to be exact since they first met? Mei couldn't believe it.

About a year ago, she was aimlessly walking down a path with Yuzu, celebrating their one-year anniversary. The older girl often went out of her way, acting as cheerful and bubbly as she usually was, except with the intent of bringing a smile to the somber-faced girl at the time.

Anxiety of losing Yuzu kept Mei from enjoying herself. It was the one thing clouding her mind almost exactly that same day. Now, the one thing clouding her mind was making sure Yuzu would have the best anniversary gift.

Funny, how time flies.

Of course, Yuzu didn't really mind what Mei had to offer. The older girl was almost satisfied with anything resembling anything romantic. But this time, things were different between them, or in this case, Mei was different towards Yuzu. She'd do anything to make her girlfriend forget the events that transpired between them a year ago.

"What were you even doing with that?" Yuzu asked, "weren't you the one who said to burn it in a fire?"

Mei tucked a strand of hair behind her ear after she put the notebook away in her bag. "It's just for reference, that's all." Once she collected herself, Mei stood up and extended a hand for Yuzu to hold, "are you ready for our date?"

"Hmm...I don't know," the older girl mused playfully thinking back to the notebook. "Are _you_ ready for our date?"

Mei gave her a deadpan expression for a bit while Yuzu sheepishly smiled at her own banter with her girlfriend.

Not another second passed and a smile began growing on that usually-stoic face. Yuzu grinned even more, hoping to get a giggle or laugh from the other girl.

Mei chucked softly, not before saying, "Happy anniversary, Yuzu."

* * *

They began with a brief visit to the cafe. While the two had their menus opened, Yuzu looked over to Mei, who eyed the options decisively. What to choose? The blonde looked back to her menu and couldn't think of what she wanted. She was almost tempted to try everything the cafe was offering. It all looked so good!

Though, while things in their lives have settled down immensely, this was technically still only their third date as a couple so far. Their first was riddled with an awkward, fumbling mess, from both parties, on how to even go on a date. But for two people who've never had prior genuine relationship experience, Yuzu thought they nailed it. Mei thought it was a disaster and often grimaced every time she inconveniently remembered.

While their second date didn't have that notebook hanging over their heads, Mei did everything she could to maintain Yuzu's smile for as long as she could. After the revelation behind Mei's lonely expression, the two jumped through hoops rebuilding their relationship, cancelling an unwanted marriage, and the most grueling part, revealing the truth to their friends and family.

So, their schedules during that period were unfortunately very booked.

Luckily, all of that was over and done with.

The trip to the cafe was followed by a leisurely stroll by the meadow in the park, hand in hand. Things seemed to be going okay so far.

"You know, it's been awhile since we've had a nice date like this. Though…" Yuzu flashed a smile towards Mei, "we'll probably have a lot more time once we move in together. I've even thought of different ways how our apartment would look!"

She loosened her hold on Mei's hand to pull out a large folded sheet of paper from her bag. The girl was absolutely beaming as she was showing her designs and plans for their future living space; it was a sight Mei's face couldn't help but reflect off of.

While the blonde was in the middle of her fervent talk about their apartment, Mei let out a sigh of slight concern. "While I appreciate your efforts trying to make our new place look nice, don't you think you should be worrying about your classes?"

Yuzu let out a pout, "aw come on, Mei! It's still summer vacation. No need to be so strict all the time." She folded the paper and placed it back in her purse, "besides, I already know what I'll be taking."

"I know you've worked hard to get where you're at, but I can't help but worry about your future," Mei said coolly, "remember, you only barely got into the university right by the one I'm attending." Her reprimand towards the blonde masked the overwhelming wave of relief when she found out she and Yuzu would still be in close proximity after graduating high school. The issues of long-distance were completely none of their concern. It was a miracle to say the least.

Yuzu simply made a gesture, brushing off Mei's comment. "Don't worry about me!" she took ahold of both Mei's hands, "besides, I wouldn't have gotten where I am if it wasn't for you!"

"I feel I should be saying that," Mei muttered under her breath.

"What was that?" the older girl perked up.

"Nothing."

They continued walking along the meadow, exchanging no words, taking in the scenery and peaceful calm surrounding the both of them.

Yuzu then turned towards Mei, breaking the silence, "say, it is our two-year anniversary, after all. I was wondering...do you remember?"

"Remember our anniversary?" Mei raised a brow.

The blonde gave a chuckle, "no, I mean do you remember how we first met?" She had no idea why she was bringing that up all of a sudden. But for some reason, with where they were now, Yuzu couldn't help but think back to that day.

"I remember it clearly. It's a bit difficult to miss the student dressed as if she's ready for a fashion show, for that matter," she paused briefly for a moment, "and you always did stand out from the crowd." Not that she would ever admit it to Yuzu, but she was glad the blonde never conformed to the strict rules of the school.

In the beginning, Mei always thought Yuzu would learn a thing or two from her during their years at the academy. And yet, it was Yuzu who became her source of new experiences.

The younger girl felt a slight tug behind her and turned to face Yuzu, who stopped in their tracks and had an almost mischievous grin.

"What?"

"Admit it," bringing her face inches away from Mei's. "You're glad I broke the rules."

Mei simply rolled her eyes at the comment, "it would've been nice if you did follow the rules at least once."

Yuzu pursed her lips in an almost childlike manner. "Then you would've missed my blonde hair," she paused, gazing into the younger girl, "I can see it in your eyes."

She then moved over to her side and started teasingly nudging Mei on the shoulder, hoping to get an outward confession of her real thoughts.

The younger girl concealed her entertainment with another deadpan face. Was it always this difficult to hide her amusement from the other girl?

"Stop fooling around."

But the blonde just laughed. "Aw, you know you love me!"

Resistance was futile. Mei melted under that radiant smile and shyly averted her eyes from the blonde's admiring glance.

Tucking a strand of her own hair behind her ear, the dark-haired girl tried driving her focus away from the heat spreading throughout her face.

"I do…" she admitted.

The indirect confession caused the older girl to part her lips, almost wanting to say something afterwards. But she was rendered speechless.

While Mei had opened up immensely since the first day they met, and especially after freeing herself from her family's burdens, Yuzu still felt as if she was hearing every confession, every chuckle of fondness and admiration, and every "I love you" for the very first time.

The blonde attempted to cover the tint of red on her cheeks with her hand.

 _What am I going to do with you?_ Mei thought.

She smiled, gently removed Yuzu's hand from covering her own face, then leaned in to close the distance.

 _RIIINNNG~_

The sudden noise startled both girls, shattering the intimate moment.

"Oh geez," Yuzu disappointedly fumbled inside her bag searching for her phone. When she opened up the message, she raised a brow, "huh? Mom wants us to come home soon."

"What for?"

The older girl shrugged as she put her phone back in her purse, "I don't know. But all she said was for us to come home early after our date."

Yuzu paused for moment, having to replay the words she just said aloud a few seconds ago. Despite their parents being a little more open and understanding, more so, than Mei's grandfather, it still felt surreal having to casually acknowledge that they were now completely aware of their relationship.

"We should probably head home right about now," Mei declared.

"Alright," Yuzu agreed, holding onto the other girl's hand before walking back.

During the walk back, a pestering thought nagged Yuzu's mind. She didn't even know what else could be bothering her at the moment. Mei seemed happy, their parents accepted them, their friends surprisingly already knew, and the best part, they would be living together while going to their separate universities. Ideally, this should be the part in the story where they "lived happily ever after".

But it didn't necessarily feel like that.

Whatever was in store waiting for them back home, they had no idea what to expect.

* * *

 **A/N:** First and foremost, I want to say thank you to all the people kind enough to leave reviews on my Citrus fics I've written so far. I'll be honest. I have been losing a little of my writing confidence lately, but I really appreciate all of them and you guys are also the reason I've enjoyed writing again after a dry spell for about a year.

Also, referring to my other fic, Couldn't Ask For More, there is a reason I marked it as incomplete for awhile and it's because I originally planned it to be a two-shot/three-shot. But while I was on vacation, the follow-up chapter I wanted to write kinda grew into something else and all the ideas I planned ended up being part of that expanded story. This is part of that, and I do have plans for this and can hopefully see it grow during these next couple months (I really hope...).

On a side note, this and my other fic here, From the Inside Out, are cross-posted on AO3 under the name Rolex. I'm probably going to have some fics exclusively on either/or.

Anyway, hope you guys enjoyed!


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** This chapter was super rushed, wrote it in 5 hours and I kinda bullshitted the conversation between Ume and Matsuri in this one. Quality is more average (a.k.a lack of sentence variety) because I'm trying to get this prologue out as fast as possible. I'm not really good with writing the other characters, but hey first time for everything. If everything in this chapter sounds rushed...it's because it is.

Enjoy~

* * *

It was almost sunset by the time the two of them got home. They stood in front of the door to their home, waiting for either of them to make the first knock or ring of the doorbell.

Mei seemed calm as usual, while Yuzu trembled in anticipation. What was there to even worry about? Sure, their parents may have been justifyingly shocked, but it was that reaction that kept Yuzu tiptoeing around their relationship (still) whenever they were home. In truth, they never really said much afterwards about their relationship.

Mei's father was home more often after the whole ordeal with the arranged marriage, and Yuzu's mother continued to greet her daughters every morning as if they were heading off to school. They simply accepted it as if nothing happened.

And it was that nonchalant response that had Yuzu constantly worrying what else they could be thinking.

"Yuzu?" Mei asked with concern, breaking the blonde out of her trance.

"Oh! Um, sorry. Right, the door," her response was jagged and stilted, laced with a tinge of fear that Mei had seen before.

To give some sort of comfort to the older girl, Mei lightly squeezed Yuzu's hand. "Whatever they want to say to us, I'm pretty sure we can handle it," her eyes softened under the blonde's gaze, "we've gone through worse before, right?"

She was right. Whatever their parents had to say to them, they would get through it. Besides, they already knew their daughters, now-lovers, were heading off to college together. They were the ones who helped pick out where to live and even offered to help them move in to their apartment. How could they possibly back out now?

Without saying anything, Yuzu rang the doorbell, and they both waited for a response.

Not a second passed and the door opened on its own. The inside was barely visible and Yuzu and Mei looked at each other in confusion, but proceeded.

"SURPRISE!"

Processing the sight before them, Mei and Yuzu stood speechless. All their friends greeted them with confetti, or at least, Harumin and Matsuri did. Himeko stood wearing a party hat, while Shiraho was trying to figure out how to function the little confetti blaster. Their parents were at the dining table with a small cake.

Apparently, Yuzu's mom planned out a little get-together surprise party for her daughters before leaving for college and invited all their friends to celebrate. Harumin and Matsuri were enthusiastic as always-well at least Harumin had the expression. Himeko wore her most unnecessarily lavish outfit for something as casual as a small go-away party. And Shiraho looked as ominously present as ever, and her party hat didn't make her appearance any less different.

Harumin scooped her best friend up in hug, congratulating her, and Mei of course, but also reminding Yuzu to always call while she was in college.

"Don't worry Harumin!" Yuzu assured, "we can always virtual shop if miss the chance to visit each other!"

"Ahem," Mei interrupted, flashing an almost seething glare at the blonde.

"Haha…" Yuzu laughed sheepishly, "of course, after I'm done with my studies." She looked back at Mei who gave her an approving nod back.

The party went smoothly as expected. Ume and Sho made idle chat with each of Yuzu and Mei's friends, while the two girls talked shortly with a few. Yuzu, with Harumin, and Mei with Himeko.

"You better not be a bad influence on MeiMei, Aihara Yuzu!" Himeko warned. She had already known about her and Mei's secret affair before coming out, and to be fair, Mei was still the same well-put together student council president during her time dating Yuzu in high school. Though, Himeko secretly owed it to Yuzu for breaking down the dark-haired girl's walls. At least Mei was happier now. But that didn't mean Himeko had some doubts about Yuzu. She turned over to Mei and clasped her hands over her's, "I know she's your girlfriend, but don't listen to everything she says."

The blonde would have flashed an annoyed grin at the drill-haired girl, but she simply snorted and murmured under her breath, "it's not her who does the listening…"

Hoping to quell a possible quarrel between the two, Mei quickly jumped in, "I'm pretty sure Yuzu is more than capable of being a good influence," causing the other girl to light up.

Everything continued on normally. After everyone had a slice of the cake Sho and Ume made, Harumin suggested the six of them play a couple games. But Mei didn't want to partake at the moment, which unknowingly prompted Matsuri to back out as well. It was at that point Mei wished she joined Yuzu and the rest of their friends, otherwise she wouldn't be in this awkward position.

"Well," Matsuri began, "I guess this is the start of something new for you and Yuzu-chan, isn't it?" Mei couldn't respond at all to the younger girl. Every time she looked at her she was always reminded of the face she made at her that night during their trip one summer vacation ago. The guilt still creeped behind her.

"Hey, hello?" Mei snapped up, turning to face Matsuri, who had an uncharacteristically concerned face.

"I..um," Mei attempted to start, but her body stood up on its own, "...should probably help my parents clean up."

"Don't worry about it, Mei!" Ume said from the kitchen. The dark-haired girl was surprised she even heard her from how low her response was to Matsuri.

Matsuri sighed and folded her arms as she sat on the couch, watching Mei intently. Instead of finding another excuse, the dark-haired girl lowered her guard and took a seat across from the other girl.

"You probably don't want to talk, don't you?" Matsuri pointed out, "I mean, I could be out there with Yuzu-chan and Taniguchi-senpai doing whatever it is they're doing, but I wanted to talk to you-"

"I'm sorry," Mei quickly interrupted. That threw Matsuri off.

"Wait, huh?" she blinked in confusion at Mei, who had her head lowered in a bow.

"I know…" the dark-haired girl sighed to herself, now knowing how else to continue. But she went on anyway, "I know you must hate me...a-and that you're wondering how Yuzu could ever forgive me so easily. I know you're probably going to warn me if I ever hurt Yuzu again." Mei honestly had no idea the kinds of things Matsuri would say to her, but she was certain they were threats she probably deserved, "whatever it is you want to say, just say it."

It took a few minutes for Matsuri to take in Mei's words. Unfolding her arms, she stood up from her side of the living room and sat on the floor beside the couch Mei was on. The gesture caused Mei to pull her head up as she noticed the pink-haired girl next to her.

A few moments of silence passed and Matsuri grumbled to herself, "I'm not here to belittle you or anything…" while she knew what she was going to say, Matsuri didn't exactly prepare herself for moments like these. She took a look at Mei, who had her eyes averted from her presence. Maybe they were both bad at this whole "opening-up" thing.

"I'm not here to belittle you," Matsuri repeated, "I just wanted to congratulate you that's all." She paused before continuing, "and...I wanted to forgive you."

"Forgive me?" Mei widened her eyes at the confession.

"Look," putting up her no-nonsense facade again, "I wouldn't even be here if I hated you. I wouldn't be able to stand looking at you if I was just here for Yuzu-chan."

Mei sat still, listening to everything else the younger girl had to say, "is that all?"

Matsuri felt slightly offended at the doubt laced in Mei's voice, "do you not believe me?"

"It's not that," actually Mei didn't know if she believed the authenticity of Matsuri's statement. "I just didn't expect for you to say that at all."

"Well...I don't want to hold a grudge towards my other big sister," she said casually, "and Yuzu told me everything. I guess this was just for me," Matsuri sighed, "I was wrong to judge you...again."

Her apology felt familiar. Like the time the two of them rode the train back with Yuzu after...certain events almost took place. In a way, this was the second time they both acknowledged their own screw-ups. Had Matsuri intervened, things would've turned out much worse than it already was. Except Mei's faults in that situation were far beyond those of Matsuri's.

"Thank you…" it was all she could say to the pink-haired girl.

"Oh and one more thing," Matsuri reminded, "not that I don't accept your apology or anything, but don't you think someone else deserves to hear that? You know, if you already haven't said it yet?"

Mei looked over to the other side of the room where Yuzu, Harumin, and the others were playing cards on another table. Himeko was growing aggressive. She was probably losing the game; while on the other hand, Shiraho eyed her cards meticulously. Harumin and Yuzu were laughing, enjoying the whatever direction the game was heading.

Then Mei caught herself staring at Yuzu's smile. She thought about the many times she hurt her and put her through difficulties as the blonde took care of her. And Mei almost stabbed her in the back in repayment. Despite things working out for the better, the what-if's constantly pestered her. Almost breaking, and hurting Yuzu was her biggest regret.

Her eyes lingered on that smile and realized she never formally apologized for the mess she almost caused. No matter what, Mei would protect Yuzu's happiness.

Standing up, Mei knew what to do. As soon as she approached the table, she placed a hand on Yuzu's shoulder hoping to talk to her alone, "Yuzu? Can I talk-"

Before she could finish, the doorbell rang, momentarily breaking the game. Atmosphere silenced.

"I wonder who that could be?" Ume wondered. The rest of the She paused in the middle of cleaning the kitchen to open the door. Once she answered, her eyes widened in surprise, then confusion.

The girls on the table attempted to peer at whoever was there. Matsuri turned her head over towards the doorway to see who it was. Three men were in her line of sight, and then she realized from the way they were formally dressed.

 _This probably can't be good_ , Matsuri thought.

"Is Mei home right now?" her grandfather stood at the doorway with his two bodyguards. Ume's shock and confusion switched to that of worry, recalling what happened the last time Aihara guards came over to their home.

Though it was faint from where they were, Yuzu and the rest of her friends recognized that voice. The blonde looked at Mei, wondering what could be going on in her head. But before she could say anything, Mei already started walking over.

"Ume, who's at the door?" Sho called out. But as soon as he saw, he shot a cold glare, giving the message that he had no intention of giving Mei up so easily. He made that mistake once, he wasn't going to do that again. "What are you doing here, father?" crossing his arms.

"I just want to speak with my granddaughter," he replied.

Mei conveniently arrived at the door at his response.

"You're not taking her away," Sho threatened. If the old man had plans to put Mei back in the suffocating system she finally broke out of, Sho would do anything to keep her out of it. Mei was happy now, why couldn't her grandfather accept that?

"Dad, it's okay," Mei assured. She had no intention of going back to her old life, nor was she going to be persuaded by her grandfather's attempts to follow his strict and conservative way of life. "I want to hear what he has to say."

"Would you like to come in? We still have some food leftover," Ume offered to him.

But the man waved his hand, declining politely, "no, I'm just here for my granddaughter. Thank you, though."

"What did you want to say, grandfather?" Mei asked.

He took a breath for replying, "I don't mean to intrude, but I was hoping to speak with you alone, Mei." Sho's heated glare at him increased.

That was unexpected, but whatever he had to say probably demanded a quieter atmosphere. Turning her head over to Yuzu, Mei informed her grandfather she would be out with him soon, but needed to take care of some things first. He nodded and let her do what she needed to do.

She went to her and Yuzu's room, grabbing her phone and coat. The lights were off, not that she needed it, but as soon as she was about to close the door on her way out, her eyes caught a glimpse of her ring. The sight filled her with a new warmth every time she looked at it.

Smiling, Mei put her coat on, closed the door of their room and walked out.

It didn't take long for Yuzu to notice her girlfriend dressed on her way out. The fact that she has to leave in the middle of their party brought way too many thoughts in the blonde's head. Was he going to try and separate them? Did Gramps have another suitor waiting for her? Was he going to persuade Mei to leave Yuzu?

As much as she loved Mei and wanted to be with her, the darkest part of her mind couldn't help but feel guilty for almost coming between her and her family.

Out of impulse, Yuzu grabbed the sleeve of Mei's coat. But Mei gave her a look that said "don't worry".

"I'll be back soon, I just have some things to take care of with my grandfather first," Mei said before giving her a kiss on the top of her head. She was hoping the gesture would alleviate whatever tension was going on in the blonde's mind, but Yuzu pursed her lips in a disapproving frown, almost expecting something else.

And of course, Mei knew that face. Leaning her face in, she captured Yuzu's lips, kissing her, slow and soft.

The sounds of Harumi's cheering and Himeko's embarrassed whining broke the moment shortly after. Yuzu and Mei pulled away to find the drill-haired girl hiding her face behind her hands, face flushed.

"Interesting," Shiraho casually inputted at the sight before her.

"I'll call you when I'm on my way home," Mei reassured.

Yuzu's doubts and fears were eased in that moment. She watched the younger girl head out with her grandfather, door shutting as soon as she left.

"Well, Yuzuchii?" Harumin hooked an arm around the blonde, "ready for round two?" she then whispered under her breath in an attempt to cheer her friend up a little more, "I'm sure she'll be fine. Besides, that mean chairman will have to go through us first," giving her a wink at the end.

Why did she worry? After all the trouble, in the end, Mei chose Yuzu. And that's all that mattered. Even Mei made it apparent every time she noticed Yuzu's doubts creeping back up on her.

"Thanks, Harumin," the blonde smiled. Her almost-somber expression switched to a more competitive one as soon as she got back into the mode of the game.

Meanwhile, Matsuri stared at the rest of her friends across the room. She could have jumped in anytime, but in all honesty she felt a little lazy to get up at the moment. Plus, there was a question that kept popping back up in her mind ever since she arrived in Yuzu and Mei's home.

In the midst of her pondering, Ume walked in in the middle of the living room, noticing Matsuri sitting by herself.

"Aren't you going to have a little fun with Yuzu and the others?" Ume asked, beer in hand.

"I don't really feel like it right now. I'll join in once eyebrows forfeits in frustration," she paused for a moment, then repeated in her head the question she wanted to ask the woman in front of her.

"You look like you want to ask me something?" the woman noticed, snapping Matsuri out of her own thoughts.

"Wha- How did you know?"

Ume simply laughed, "I'm a mother. I should be an expert at noticing these kinds of things."

 _How long did you know about your daughters being in a secret relationship with each other?_ Matsuri said in her head.

The pink-haired girl sighed then went ahead to ask, ignoring the consequences. "I'm curious. You seemed to take Yuzu-chan and Mei-san's relationship relatively well."

"I'll be honest, I was shocked when I found out," Ume admitted, "at first, I thought they were confused about their feelings for each other, you know, since they just became sisters." She took a seat right by Matsuri as she continued, "but looking back, I think the real reason Sho and I were fine with it was because we thought it was what they thought was best for them."

Matsuri raised a brow at her explanation.

"Let me tell you a little secret," Ume lowered her voice, "Mei's father and I, well, we didn't really marry for love."

That only confused the younger girl even more.

"Well...we did marry for love, but not for ourselves. I remember when I first met Sho, he was being stubborn trying to figure out how to talk to his daughter after disappearing on her for five years. What kind of father does that?" she laughed a bit, taking a sip of her cold beverage. "So, I told him I would take care of Mei-chan."

This story was getting more bizarre to Matsuri as Ume continued.

"He agreed!" Ume exclaimed, "and even though that was the alcohol that made the crazy suggestion, I didn't hesitate! And now, I have two wonderful daughters," smiling at her decision, "and to be honest, I wouldn't have them with anyone else but with each other."

Matsuri processed what Ume just told her. If this was a "little secret", it was probably best to assume Mei and Yuzu didn't exactly know the reasons behind their parents' marriage

"Haha! Well, I better get back to cleaning the kitchen. Wouldn't want those leftovers getting spoiled," and with that she stood up and left, leaving Matsuri to comprehend everything.

She looked over to the others, still playing cards. Himeko was this close to possibly flipping the table and Matsuri figured she could join in right about now. Remembering everything Ume told her, Matsuri looked at Yuzu and snorted to herself.

 _You have a weird family, Yuzu-chan._

* * *

Meanwhile, Mei was seated comfortably in her grandfather's car, rather reminiscent of the last time she spoke to him like this. His health was declining, and she needed to make haste to take his place. But now, while he was no longer in a position to continue as chairman of the academy, there was something different about his aura compared to before.

"What did you want to talk to me about, grandfather?"

The man took a deep breath as he looked out his window, "Mei, I know this will probably confuse you. And I know how much of a burden I placed on you at such a young age, but..."

Mei listened curiously and intently. Whatever he wanted to say about her and Yuzu's relationship, she would be ready for it.

"I brought you out here because I wanted to apologize," he finished, "I wanted to apologize for the things I said about you and Yuzu."

His last statement threw her off. She told herself she was prepared for anything her grandfather would say about her relationship with her step-sister. Immoral, disgusting, disappointing beyond belief. Even a few remarks about Yuzu, Mei would take it. Not well, but she's defend the blonde at all costs.

But an apology? Towards both of them?

For everything Mei was expecting, she was definitely not prepared for that.

* * *

 **A/N:** Expect maybe 1-2 more chapters after this and this prologue will be completed


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** I know, I don't like the way I wrote this either, but I was getting exhausted and really wanted to finish this fic asap. Do things make sense in this fic like the conversation between Mei and her grandfather? I'm not so sure either man. I may have missed a couple things, like more attention to detail stuff I should be aware of, but I kinda sold my writing soul and ability after spending so much of my energy on that one smut fic I wrote. Hopefully, I'll get back to writing things at a more slow and comfortable pace.

But for now, enjoy my word vomit

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 _I wanted to apologize for things I've said about Yuzu._

Looking back, Mei never could recall the many times her grandfather ever admitted he was wrong. That wasn't to say he was never remorseful or never apologized. But the man was often stubborn about his beliefs and mindsets. Mei thought, that because of how he was raised, how he was surrounded by the most strict and conservative way of life, he would never accept her life as it is now. He was already displeased with her father's decisions; what made her think that he would view her decisions any different from his?

But perhaps it was his illness that made him rethink life in a different way?

Mei would never truly know.

During the trip around the neighborhood, her grandfather recounted the many things he put her through. He once apologized for placing all the burden of the family responsibility on her, a 16 year-old child; and now he was apologizing for taking away the choices and freedoms he once told her to take charge of.

They say that when people are brought to the lowest point, they are open to the greatest change. In some morbid way, her grandfather's failing health was a blessing in disguise.

While he trusted Mei to make the best decisions for herself, finding out about her relationship with Yuzu wasn't on his list of decisions he approved of. After the whole engagement ordeal, Mei fought. She fought and defended her life and her choices, justifying that she still had every intention of taking over the school, but would do so in her own way.

Just like her father, Mei had her own way of carrying the Aihara name.

It was an unfamiliar, but liberating feeling as she finally understood what she wanted in her life. Most of all, she completely grasped her own confidence when defending Yuzu against her grandfather's...displeased remarks.

He once thought that Yuzu dragged Mei down a path of deviancy and that Mei had fallen for a life surrounded in such heinous things. But after testing Yuzu's resolve through grades and character; seeing how much work and effort she put into to save her relationship with Mei and prove to him she could be a capable partner, he finally saw why his granddaughter had fallen for her.

In his mansion, alone, he recounted the many things Yuzu had brought into the atmosphere of the school, and especially his granddaughter. It would have been nice if she had followed the rules at least once, yes; but in the end, was she really hurting anyone? It was times like these he questioned what he was trying to accomplish with his school.

Despite facing expulsion, she once brought him to the hospital after suffering from a stroke. She once saved his granddaughter from entering a marriage that would have ultimately ruined her life. An act he was forever grateful for. The school, and especially Mei, became much livelier after the blonde's arrival.

And as much as he didn't necessarily agree with Yuzu's choices or way of thinking, it made him think back to the one thing he told Mei.

To make her own choices and to choose her own path.

As much as he wanted to continue the Aihara legacy, he hated seeing his granddaughter continue to tear her life apart for the sake of the school. In a way, he was grateful towards Yuzu for giving Mei something he, nor her own father, could provide.

Guidance.

Support.

Love.

It wasn't as if Mei's grandfather or her father didn't provide any of that, but they could never give those things in adequate amounts. And as a result, nearly sucked out Mei's humanity.

He recalled how much Mei retracted from the world. She still worked vigorously to become the next headmaster of the school, but she only did so out of obligation and not out of a drive she once carried as a young child.

Yuzu had brought that back in her.

Looking back, maybe he shouldn't have judged Yuzu so harshly that one day when Mei revealed their relationship to him. People like Yuzu were a rarity to come across nowadays.

After remembering the blonde's talk of Mei being allowed to break free, he figured...his granddaughter had already done more than enough for the school, as both the student council president and as future chairwoman.

After all of Mei's hard work, after sacrificing her own health and humanity, something she didn't need need to do, hadn't she gone through enough? Didn't she deserve some sort of reward?

After all, he was the one who sternly told her in that hospital room those few years back that she needed to learn how to take control of her own life.

That was something she learned from Yuzu. That was something he learned from Yuzu. In an ironic twist, it wasn't the "delinquent blonde" who would be molded as an ideal student. Instead, it was the stubborn chairman molded, by that same blonde, to become an open human.

In the end, he realized that there was no one else he would entrust his granddaughter with but Yuzu.

It was a little funny, though, as he thought. It probably would have been best if he apologized to Yuzu directly, rather than through Mei. That statement alone twisted something deep within Mei's gut-something she never realized was hiding in the pit of her stomach.

Standing out in front of the apartment complex, Mei remembered the last thing her grandfather said to her before he saw her off.

Hand on her shoulder, he looked at her with uncharacteristically warm eyes and said,

 _Even though things didn't turn the way I wanted them to, you still held onto our family's beliefs and values. You truly are an Aihara, I'm proud of you, Mei._

Through Mei, he was finally able to understand his own son's choices.

After his leave, Mei sat along the sidewalk in front of her home. She could have gone inside as soon as he left, but something stopped her. She wasn't quite ready to go inside just yet. Looking up at the night sky, Mei began to wonder what her life would have been like if Yuzu didn't carry such a persistent drive.

Would she still remain alone as empty drone? Would she continue to have a sour relationship with her father? Would her grandfather remain a cold and strict, stubborn man?

Then she thought about what her life would have been like if Yuzu had given up on her after facing the dilemma of choosing between her and her family?

Would she have lived the rest of her life in complete and total emptiness?

Without any hesitation, she knew the answer to every single one of those questions was 'yes'.

"Mei?" she heard from behind.

The dark-haired girl turned in the direction of the voice to find Yuzu standing along the walkway of the apartment complex.

"Yuzu? What are you doing here?" she asked.

"I could ask you the same thing," Yuzu replied as she walked over and sat beside Mei. "Everyone else just left right before you came back."

As soon as Yuzu made herself comfortable, Mei held onto her hand and turned her head back towards the dimly lit sky. "I was just thinking."

"You tend to do that a lot," the blonde said.

There were no words exchanged afterwards. Yuzu nested her head against Mei's shoulder, and Mei leaned her head against the blonde's. It was a comfortable silence.

But in that silence, Mei thought about what her grandfather said...what Matsuri said.

Now that she realized it, did she ever apologize to Yuzu? For everything?

The blonde was quick to forgive everything Mei put her and their relationship through. Yuzu probably already knew how guilty and how sorry Mei felt during and after the chaos passed. But to Mei, that wasn't good enough. It wasn't enough.

"So...what did gramps say to you?" Yuzu asked, breaking the silence.

"Nothing much," Mei replied, "...actually, he apologized for the things he said about us."

Yuzu blinked in confusion at the other girl's words.

"Wow, really? I never thought gramps would do that," she was still under shock at the unexpected surprise, but glad that they no longer had to worry about his looming presence. "I guess all those late night study sessions last term really changed his mind!"

That last statement made Mei turn her head back towards Yuzu, who was almost patting herself on the back for all her hard work.

 _If you can prove to be a capable partner for my granddaughter then maybe I can reconsider my opinion towards this relationship._

Her grandfather's words echoed in her mind. Every time she thought back to his ultimatum, Mei recalled how much the blonde had changed within such a short amount of time.

She was still the same, bright and bubbly girl Mei slowly fell in love with. But throughout their last year of high school, Yuzu grew more responsible in her studies, to the point of exhaustion. She often stayed up almost every night, living off coffee and other caffeinated beverages. She sometimes skipped meals and rarely went out much in order to focus on her studies, much to the younger girls' worry.

No matter what, Yuzu would do everything to please Mei's grandfather and leave them be. The blonde's newly acquired aura began to bear an uncanny resemblance to her own. While it was nice seeing Yuzu's determined drive, Mei was hoping her newly developed workaholic nature wouldn't carry so much into their college years.

But there was something else that bothered Mei throughout that period Yuzu was adhering to her grandfather's ultimatum. Why did Yuzu agree to that? Wasn't she someone who tended to break the rules, not be molded by them? And didn't the blonde already do more than enough to prove she was a capable partner?

Yuzu nearly fell apart trying to raise her grades, get into a good college, and satisfy Mei's grandfather...all for Mei. As always, the blonde was willing to take the hit every time it came to her. That quality of her's was something Mei often overlooked or took for granted, at least until now.

Sighing, with her head hanging low, Mei spoke up, "Yuzu?" prompting the blonde to turn her head to face the younger girl. Mei averted her eyes, reminiscing, remembering everything from the day they first met up until the moment right now.

"I'm sorry…"

"Huh?" Yuzu raised a brow at the dark-haired girl's apology, "what are you apologizing for?"

Gathering herself together, Mei turned back to face Yuzu, "I never got to apologize for everything I caused."

But Yuzu looked at her with a concerned face, lightly squeezing onto Mei's hand tighter, "Mei, you don't need to apologize for anything. It wasn't your fault," that last statement made the other girl grimace with guilt, "What matters is that we're together and you're okay. It's all okay now."

"No, it's not" Mei interjected, "Yuzu...I'm not just apologizing for not telling you about that arranged marriage sooner…"

Yuzu didn't respond, waiting for whatever else the younger girl wanted to say. Although, Mei had opened up a little more after breaking free, Yuzu still considered moments learning about her inner thoughts, to be a rarity.

"I'm sorry for kissing you like that when we first met," Mei began, "I'm sorry for using you to fulfill my own selfish needs. I'm sorry for pushing you away so often when all you wanted to do was help me. I'm sorry for not being honest when I told you to be. I'm sorry for keeping you in the dark about my own problems," she paused, knowing the list was absolutely endless. "Yuzu, I'm sorry for everything I put you through just to help me. Every single time you've given, all I've ever done is take and take from you."

She still couldn't look at Yuzu in the eye. Despite the older girl reassuring her that she's already forgiven her long ago, Mei didn't feel it was enough to atone for all the chaos and strife they went through all because of her.

"Yuzu, I'm sorry-"

"Mei!" Yuzu grabbed ahold of the other girl's chin to look her in the eye, "Mei, I know you're sorry. You don't need to apologize anymore." She then placed the hand on Mei's chin onto the other girl's free hand. Unable to tell if she was imagining the light trembling on the other girl's hands, Yuzu began tracing circles with her thumb in an effort to soothe her.

"You're probably always asking yourself in that little head of your's why I'm even here with you right now," Yuzu began, "you're probably asking 'why has she given me so many chances every single time?' And I bet, you're probably asking yourself why I would even put myself through all of this for you."

Mei didn't know how to respond. In truth, she found it difficult finding the answers to any of those questions.

"Do you want to know why I wanted to stay with you after all this time?" the blonde asked softly.

But Mei pondered for a bit, thinking of what could be the right answer. A brief moment of silence passed and Yuzu chuckled when Mei continued searching.

"It's because I love you, silly! And...I chose to be with you."

"And I chose to be with you too," mirroring the blonde's words.

Loosening her fingers on Mei's hands, Yuzu leaned in closer, wrapping her arms around the younger girl's back in a hug. Bringing her mouth close to Mei's ear, she whispered, "I would go through double, no, triple of what happened just to see you smile."

 _You don't even need to try to make me smile_ , Mei thought.

Pulling back from the hug, Yuzu stretched out her arms and breathed in the cool air.

"Anyway, I don't think you should worry so much now, Mei!" she enthusiastically reassured, "after all, we will have more time when once we move in together."

She was right. After today, they'll be away from everything. They'll be away from their problems, their worries...and most importantly, they'll be able to start anew.

"I was thinking of doing something together before we start our classes," Mei suggested.

"Oh?" a smile growing on the blonde, "and what would that be? Are you going to consult the notebook for any advice?" she teased.

Mei almost pouted, but couldn't help but give a warm smile from seeing the other girl's bright and cheerful face.

"I was thinking maybe visit the city for a bit. Maybe explore…" she trailed off.

"Maybe another date?" Yuzu finished.

"Just the two of us?" her words slipped in an almost jumbled mess. Face flushed red, Mei didn't know why she added that. She wanted to mentally kick herself for saying something so ridiculous. Of course, a date only consists of two people, what else was she thinking?

Noticing the redness across the other girl's face, Yuzu chuckled, "you just can't get enough of me can't you, Mei?"

For once, the two would actually start living their lives as a normal couple. Well, describing them as a normal couple would be a stretch. A fresh start, a new life. The thought was completely surreal to Mei.

Stability was such a surreal thing to even come in her mind. She once thought that her life was already in a state of stability before Yuzu showed up. No. That was a lie. In reality, the blonde pulled her into a new state of stability. One that was warm and comforting and not a cold, lifeless vacuum.

Whatever was in store for them in the future, they would be ready. To others, their relationship might not make sense, but that didn't matter. Because every time they were with each other, it made more sense than anything else.

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 **A/N:** I do plan on having a follow-up fic after this one, which was why I was so quick to rush it, and you can find that follow-up fic (you know, when I actually get around to writing it) on AO3 under the name, Rolex.

Well, until next time~


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